Digital War
by Reiji Ishiya
Summary: "You can go back or stay, but you'll probably die either way." /In which there is blood, there is death, life, love, betrayal, and so much more... *Frontier AU*
1. Chapter 1

**Atten-hut soldier. Welcome to our base here on Ishiya. We're here to prep you for this here story, Digital War. (The author, Reiji Ishiya, owns none of the recognizable characters in the story) It's bloody, it's violent, it's not safe for work or your little mamby-pamby land family, so be careful we reading, are we clear?**

**Good. Now get ready to read, private!_

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_Chapter 1: In Which I Die_

_1 in 5 people…every second…die in a war. So…let's make our seconds count people._

It's funny, I think, that everyone perceives dying as something far off. It's near us every day, kicking ass and taking names of ones we've loved right off of the planet. That's probably why we don't like wars (_or, for some of us, Call of Duty games_) so much. Not because of the _'Oh, fighting is so evil!' _approach, but the fact that they're a constant reminder that, _yes_, you can die at _any second. _

But when you're in a war…death is all you can try not to think about. Somewhere inside of you, you know that _for a fact, _death is around the corner. _(And he's got milk and cookies made especially for you. I hear they're chocolate…your favorite.) _But you ignore that gut feeling, opting instead to think about all the friends you make or the scary drill sergeants or whatever. And even if you do manage to wake up from your daydreams about the awesomeness of war, you think that if you get shot, you'll be one of the _lucky_ ones.

_Lucky enough to see more than one friend die…lucky enough to only be partially paralyzed…lucky enough to go back out and pray that your luck stays with you._

This war was different. There were no drill sergeants to train us (_we did it ourselves_) or friends to make, (_because we were all we had…and that wasn't much_) but there was lots and _lots _of _death._ These…things that lived here (_they are 'Digimon: Digital Monsters' according to their introductions_) died a hell of a lot. It wasn't pretty either, watching as the little tykes (_because yes, some of them were pretty cute…not that I'd say that out loud_) just…vanish. But at least they were comforted with the fact that they could be reborn and _maybe, just maybe _the war would be over by then.

_We weren't as lucky._

I was a leader. I held all of the plans inside my head (_no matter how stupid, they were followed…no matter what_) and I kept everything together. If someone broke a leg, I found a doctor. If someone couldn't fight, I fought for them. If someone was _dying…_I tried as best as I could to console them without letting my fear show. It was how I led.

_But it came with a price._

I was too attached. Some people are given no warning as to how they die.

_Take Binky for example…mine field. Unexpected, right?_

I'm different. I knew how it would happen because I _planned _it. (_They always called me an idiot._) Well, not entirely. I knew that I would get shot saving someone. "_But why," you ask, "why die for someone else?"_ I knew that jumping in front of those _things_ would kill me. But I did what I had to just to save her.

_Because, I…you know, I loved her,(in the maybe kind of sort of but not entirely sure about it much way)._

Now you might be going, "_Aww, how cute! He died for love!_ ," but don't _ever _do that. It hurts. It hurts like _hell_. Strange looking balls (_don't laugh!_) to the chest feel like the world's worst hangover that decided to attack your chest for unknown reasons, and watching blood seep out of you or listening to your comrades, _your friends, _cry over your death…not fun. _Trust me._

Thinking was all I could do. Had I accomplished everything that I wanted? No, because I hadn't seen this war through to the end, drinking in the cup of success that I made it. (_That we made it._) I hadn't told my parents how much I loved them or given up my goggles- my most prized possessions- to someone that could take my place, and I never got to apologize for _that night._

_All you can do is stare because you're not going anywhere._

My friends see me lying there, and they stop fighting to rush to my side. Izumi is behind me, red splattered onto her clothes, in her hair, all over her face. Her eyes are stuck to mine, shock and sadness and something _wonderful _that I can't place looking at me. I think she's crying because my face is wet and I can't really see any clouds in the sky. (_But then again, I can't see much at all right now._) The others get closer, completely ignoring my '_pay attention to the battle 100% of the time!' _rule, and I _want_ them close just to smack them. (_One last time._)

But I miss entirely, hitting who knows what (_I don't care_) because of the _damn pain._ It hurts to move much, but I ignore it, reaching for the goggles perched on my head. ("_Until the day I die", I said, "I'll never take them off!_" _Me and my big mouth._) I give them to Tomoki, but he doesn't want them…and I don't care if he doesn't because (_I'm dying, damn it! I just want to sleep…_) he deserves them.

"_Take care of them, Tommy. I need a leader and you need the goggles."_

Izumi might be the worst off. Even though Tommy (_put on the goggles!_) and everyone else has left to fight (_Kick his ass, damn it! Avenge me!_) Izumi hasn't even moved…_I think._ The _maybe raindrops _are still falling, so I guess she's still somewhere near me. I'm pretty sure it's her, because I can hear someone saying "_I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!_" But it doesn't really matter because I would've done it for any one of my friends.

_It's all my fault. Beautiful green eyes, bloodshot. Someone make them stop. _

I want to tell her that _I_ should be the sorry one and that I should be apologizing because of what happened before and all the stupid stuff I said, but I don't think she'd care. I'm pretty sure she leans in closer, because those _maybe_ _raindrops _are getting heavier and the smell of strawberry is assaulting my nose.

_I love Izumi (maybe kinda sorta). Izumi loves strawberries. Therefore, I love strawberries._

She leans down so close that I can see her (_one last time_) and it breaks my heart. Her puffy eyes and blood splattered hair are things I can't put up with. "_Hi, Izumi, you look beautiful_." She smiles, but it's a sort of sad smile, but I don't really care as long as she's smiling. "Thank you, Takuya," she says just before she kisses me.

_One._

_Last._

_Time._

I really don't want to go after that, but I'm just so _tired_. I think Izumi notices it, because she's saying things in her melodic voice. (_Won't you sing me to sleep?_) She whispers four words, though, that stand out above the rest of whatever the hell she says (_because it's pretty hard to hear now_) that really make me want to stay.

But I'm pretty sure it's too late (_it's not too late. It's never too late._) because my eyes are too heavy and my chest just _hurts _and…

_My seconds are up. My luck has run out._

_And I'm gone. _

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**Yola, it's Reiji. **

**Did you like the drill sergeant entry? Or the haiku? Or the story? Maybe you hated them, I don't know. And I won't be able to tell unless you write a review. (*Hint hint) **

**No, seriously, review. Or gimme and my drill sergeant buddy 500(push ups or dollars) each.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Atten-hut soldier. Just here to remind you that none of the recognizable content (i.e. Takuya Kanbara) is owned by Reiji Ishiya. Get it? Got it? Good. **

**Now start reading.

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_Chapter 2: In Which I Live_

_If we must die…then you must…let us live first._

School. It's boring as hell. Always has been, always will be. My friends can't stand it, I can't stand it, and I'm pretty sure that none of you can stand it. (_Yes, I can see you. Stop picking your nose and read_.) So what do you do when your teacher won't shut up about some _very _complicated looking mathematical equation?

_Is it: A) Listen? B) Daydream? C) Sleep? Or D) Flirt with that one person giving you _the look_?_

Well, I'm guessing most of you just picked A (_like a bunch of nerds_) or D (_ha, did that last week!_). No, the correct answer was C (_I think_) because it's the most entertaining. That is, of course, until the teacher catches you. And makes you answer it when you have no clue what the hell she was talking about. (_So…2x+15 minus y is 20. X equals what when y is 11?)_

_"Say 8, Takuya. The answer is 8."_

I have no idea where that voice came from, who it is, or why it's talking to me, but apparently it knows the answer. So I do the rational thing and take advice from an unknown voice. "Um, is the answer 5, Mrs. Hadokin?" (_I sounded_ _so stupid!_) And of course, she looks at me like I'm retarded, (_because she just doesn't like me_) and I can swear that she's about to say '_No, you dumbass. The fucking answer is 15. You've got 10 years detention for sleeping in my class, fucking retard.' _She looks in her book with all of the answers, scaring the shit out of me when she looks at me like my answer wrong, but her eyes get wide.

"_That's correct, Takuya._ (_YES!_) _But be ready to spend tonight doing 50 more problems that I expect done for homework because you fell asleep. That goes for the entire class. _(_Damn! I'm dead._)

The bell rings, (_thank god, no more school 'til Monday_) and I'm out of the room before you can say '_Slow down!'_ because I: A) _have to rest for my soccer game _and B) _don't want to get my ass kicked. _I run as fast as I can to my locker, cursing at it when it doesn't open, then grab my stuff and run to the parking lot to get to my car. (_Please don't let them get to my baby._)

Thankfully, my car (_my beautiful, beautiful red car_) is safe and sound and sexy as ever, and I'm off. The road is open (_like always_) and in no time, I'm home. I look around inside for a bit, and because nobody's home, I open the damn door myself. (_Why did you guys have to leave before I got here? You know how lazy I am._)

For a second, I think about doing my homework, and as _exciting_ as that sounds, (_Can you smell the sarcasm?_) I don't. Not because I don't (_completely_) understand it, but I have to clean my room. Why do it now, you ask? It's simple. My mother said so. (_No, I'm not a 'momma's boy', I just…damn it, I just need to clean my room, okay?_)

So up the stairs I go, into the room I love, to start cleaning like a maniac. I have everything I need: broom, dust pan, IPod (_for when I get bored_), trash bag, rodent killer (_just in case…it's been a while since I cleaned up last._). Ok, now that I'm all set, I'm off to cleaning.

_Oh my goggles, this sucks. Fuck this, I'm doing it later._

Ok, so I didn't really clean much. I moved my bed and found a pizza box with half a pizza in it (_I didn't eat it…yet_) and a family of rats, so I stopped. But yeah, I tried. So when you don't see me at that super cool party, you know why- I'm stuck cleaning up after a tornado.

_And I'm done. Right about…_

Ouch. I don't know what the hell just tripped me, but it's going in the garbage bag. (_Especially if it's Shinya's._) I look around at what do I see? (_Some big, bad goggles looking back at me._) Oh, they're just my old goggles, so no big deal. I pick them up and dust them off. For a moment, I can swear I smell smoke and hear screams as they sit in my hands, but it might just be my imagination playing tricks on me again.

_I haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately. Why else would I fall asleep in math? Besides the fact that, you know, it is so boring._

Seriously, my sleep schedule is way out of proportion. I don't know why, but I've been dreaming a lot lately. (_And no, not those kind of dreams. Pervert._). They're strong and painful and I wake up in the middle of the night, sweat pouring in buckets, drenching my sheets, screaming bloody _fucking _murder. The sounds and sights of it all drive me into a frenzied panic, and no one knows why. (_Not even those "psychologists" mom hired to "help me." Help me my ass, there's nothing wrong with me! At least, nothing they can fix!_)

My hand clenches, waking me from my daydreaming about dreaming, and I realize that I'm still holding my goggles. I put them on my bed, staring at my reflection in them. The urge to wear them comes back after 7 years of being goggle-less, but I don't wear them.

_"Try them on, Takuya."_

Great, the voice from math class is back. This lack of sleep thing must really be affecting my mind, because all of the sights and sounds from the dreams come back. The smell of a fire burning assaults my nostrils; flames and smoke lick my face _almost lovingly_, a woman (_girl-thing-whatever_) screams my name, and for a moment, I feel as if I could set fire to the world.

_Do it. Just…one…snap. And the world sets ablaze._

I grab my head, groaning as the feelings from the dreams (_maybe more?_) resurface, sending myself further and further down a rabbit hole of agony. My goggles, now barely clinging to my hand inside of the clenched fist, drop. My arm shoots out, pulling them from the air before they can touch the floor, and moving to set them on my usual place for them. (_My nightstand._) But something stops me from doing it. (_And it's not the super glue…again._)

_It's the fact that, sitting in the reflection of my goggles, is a man in my doorway. A man that I've seen in my dreams._

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**Yola, it's Reiji. **

**So what do you think of chapter 2? I won't know unless you tell me in a _REVIEW. _**

**Seriously, review. Or you're not invited to Takuya's deathday/revival (cause he's not dead yet) party. (_You know you want to come...there's chocolate cake_.)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Atten-hut soldier. We here at Ishiya Corp. own none of the recognizable content. If we did, I would've made it into a major motion picture or something? Capische? Cool. **

**Now start reading.

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_Chapter 3: In Which I Go Back to Nowhere _

_Go back…but how? And to where?_

So imagine this. You're home alone cleaning your room, when all of the sudden, you get a headache with enough pain to rival a hangover. (_Don't ask how I know what one feels like. It wasn't one of my better moments._) After that (_painful ass fuck_)headache-_hangover- _ends, you find a man inside your house.

No, but not just any man, a man from your dreams. (_And no, not those kind of dreams_) You've seen his unkempt blonde mane flying in the wind more times than you can count, seen through his blue eyes so many strange things, worn that strange red-gold armor long enough to know that it's not as heavy as it seems.

So what would you do? Try your best to get him out through use of force? Call the police? Although those seem like good answers, I can tell you what I'd do. Or rather, what I did. You guessed it; I did something so manly it beats all those other answers asses. (_While taking their girlfriends._)

_I fainted. (Fell asleep…on my face.)_

I know all of you guys are like, '_Whoa, Takuya, you're so_ _manly_,' right? No, you say? I didn't think so either. But I digress. When I woke up, he was still there, blue eyes pouring over me like he was _almost _worried. He sat in the chair by my desk, and had apparently moved me, for I was lying in my bed.

Suddenly, I jolted awake, springing forward into sitting position while nearly screaming my ass off. (_Bad idea._) I got a headache for a quick second, then decided to lay back down. By now, armor-blond-guy was staring at me like I was an idiot (_which I have been told quite often_).

"What_,_" It came out half whisper, half scream, "the _hell_ are you doing in my house?" He looked shocked, almost as if I should know why. _"So you don't know me?"_ He asks, and for a second, I think I should, but the feeling goes away. "_This isn't good. You're supposed to know…I need you to know._" (_Okay…time to freak the hell out now._) "Look, dude, I don't know you. At all. You broke into my house…maybe. So I would _really _appreciate it if you start talking."

He sighs. "_I was hoping I didn't have to do this. I thought that maybe…just maybe…one of you didn't forget." _He walks closer, hair (_somehow_) billowing in the (_nonexistent_) wind, and clenches his fist. For a moment, I think he's going to punch me, and I flinch.

The punch does not come, yet I wish it had. As I watch his hand, it effortlessly bursts into flames. Then he thrust his fist, until the fire leaps off of him and heads straight at me.

_Oh. Shit._

If you've ever seen fire, raise your hand. Ok, good. Now, if you've ever seen someone hurtle _real_ fire at your body, raise your hand. (_Ok, unless you're in Avatar or me, your hand should be down._) Now, normally I'd call you guys lucky, but I can be lucky too. (_Finally!) _Either the fireball completely missed or I got superpowers because I'm not dead. (_I think._) I open my eyes to look for the Human Torch (_Is this guy even human?_ _Can I get sued for saying that if he is? I hope not._) and…

_Wait a minute. Toto, I don't think we're in Shibuya anymore._

"_I was wondering when you'd wake up. You've gotta work on that fainting problem, Takuya. It's just not manly." _Holy son of a mother…_where am I?_ Heat swirls inside of this new place, darkness dancing off the walls, and the ground seems like it's made of stone. "Hey, you bastard! Where the hell are you? Where the hell am I? And how do you know my name?" (_And I don't have a fainting problem! I just fell asleep on my face!_)

Suddenly, light shoots straight out of the ground. It's warm and liquid-like glow fills the room and _oh shit it's_ _lava!_ The armor guy (_who just might be the devil…or Ms. Hadokin_) jumps straight through like it's a sprinkler over a 10 foot gap, landing as close to me as possible. (_Personal space, much?_)

The smell of smoke assails my nose, his eyes burn with fury, fists aglow with flames. His hair…_is on fire_…but he's looking like he doesn't give a rat's ass, so it's pretty damn intimidating. "_Watch your mouth, kid. If I didn't 'need' you…"_ His tone leaves an air of finality, the air around him burns and reeks of ash, and sweat pours down my face like…water…from a faucet. (_It's hot damn it! Don't judge me!_)

"_Whatever. I'm Agunimon. Or Agnimon. My friends call me Agnis. I'm an ancient digital spirit and one- no, two on a technicality- time savior of a planet called the Digital World. You're inside my 'batcave'. It's a volcano. And _I _need _you _to help me save the world from the brink of war…again. Any questions?"_

My mouth is open, shock etched on my face, now _completely _freaked out by this dude (_spirt_). I walk away from him _very slowly_. He wants to know if I have _questions_? ("_Um yeah, how many meds are you currently on? Did you miss a dose?_) And how can you _technically _save the world (_it's called the Digital World_) a second time? "Um…yes. No. Maybe. Why do you need me to save _your _world? You're a savior or whatever; go save it like you did before."

He sighs, the breath long and drawn out, and shakes his head. His blond hair falls into his eyes, and he blows it away. "_Well…it's not that simple. I used to be the savior, back when I was alive, that is. But I had to call upon some…_special…_help the last time due to the departure of my living essence."_

_What? Can you speak stupid, please?_

I stared blankly, not really comprehending what he said, but not _not _getting any of what he said. "Um…okay. Right…well, I'm not doing so well in…school (_understatement of the week_) right now, so could you explain that in a simple way?" I said it nervously, still unsure of how exactly to talk to Agnimon. Sweat poured down my brow, heat increasing to smothering levels inside the…"bat cave."

"_Damn, you really aren't doing well? Okay then, well…have you read that 'Shaman King' series that was made in your world?" _I nod, slowly, unsure of where this is going. "_Good, because this would be awkward otherwise. Just pretend that I'm Amidamaru. "_

"Oh." (_That makes sense…sorta_) "Well, if that's the case…how can I help you? I mean, if you're 'Amidamaru' right now, then we would have to find your -"

_Do you get it?_

"Oh. You mean…that I? Me? I was the savior of another world…and I don't remember _this _convenient bit of information _why_?" Dumbstruck, yet full of some strange concoction of both pride and anger, I yelled to him how I felt. "You're calling me back to save some world that didn't want me to remember it in the first place? Yeah right, like I'll help _you_."

After that _riveting_ (_sarcasm soup, yum!_) speech, Agnimon bowed his head, blue eyes drooping to the floor in what I hoped was shame. The temperature of the air dropped rapidly, almost as if he were the spirit of some other element, (_Like ice or snow._) before something _strange_ (_as if all of this wasn't strange enough_) happened. He began glowing, a blue bar code wrapping around him, until what stood in front of me was…a dragon.

"_You don't want to help? You think you have a choice? Damn Takuya, you really are stupid! If they destroy my world, what do you think comes next?"(_Uh…Fairy World?)He was- not to sound punny- roaring at me, flames sputtering out of his mouth here and there. It was actually _quite _frightening. "_I need you, even if you're a dumbass, so that _both _of our worlds don't cease to exist. So are you in or not?_"

Oh. Well, if you put it like that…I should join up, right? I mean, wouldn't you? "Sure, sure, I guess I can help you. But what did you mean when you said _others_? And how will I contact you?" Yeah, I sure am full of questions today. (_Stupid, stupid questions…but questions nonetheless_) He chuckles, his _enormous sharp _teeth flashing out and scaring the shit out of me. (_Again._)

"_You'll figure it out in time, Takuya. But for now, you need to sleep. You never know when that attacks could start- maybe during class, a soccer game, on a date- I don't care and neither do they._" (Harsh, much?) He walked up to me, fist clenched, (_again?_) flames yet again dancing across his fingertips, and the fire knocks me out cold.

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**Yola, it's Reiji. **

**If I missed replying to your review (I did, didn't I?) I am _really _sorry! I've got you covered, though.**

**Also, reviewing makes the world go round in fanfiction, because it's like money: makes everyone happy and you can give it really easily. So try it out. =D**

**Oh yeah: A) Happy Birthday, B) Happy Holidays, and C) What would you name Agunimon's "batcave" if you had a choice? (You do.)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Atten-hut soldier. We here at Ishiya Base own none of the recognizable content. If we did, I would've made it into a major motion picture or something? Capische? Cool. **

**Now start reading.

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_Chapter 4: In Which Nowhere Comes Back_

_Morning! Are you ready…to die?_

Screaming. It's loud; it's uncomfortable, and damn near the most useless thing to do at a horror movie, _even though you still try_. (_"Kill her daughter! She's got that disease-shit going on!"… "Why didn't you listen, stupid bitch? You're dead; your daughter fucking killed you! It's your fault for not using your brain!"_) It's not a good thing to wake up doing. (_People think you're crazy for it. Trust me._) It's even worse if you're waking up _to _someone screaming. Especially if that _someone _is (_don't laugh_) a horned and tail-less white dino-bird midget with a pink belt on.

_Stop laughing. It's not that funny._

Confused? Let me explain it then. _Apparently _I was a part of some group sent to save some other world and it was _"apparently"_ something that I had "_accidentally forgotten,_" but now they need my help _again_ to save the world. _Again_. If you're still confused, just imagine if that blue guy from _Avatar _forgot he saved the _entire fucking _planet and wasn't reminded until a few years later. (_And they needed his help to fight the humans. Again._)

All that aside, I have more important things to do. (_Not that you're not important._) Like get a dino-bird out of my room type of importance. It- _he_- continues to yell as I _slowly _groan and get up. "Hey, get the hell out of my room and shut the fuck up!" (_Harsh, yes, but it does the trick_.) Dino-bird jumps up off of my bed, on which he had been standing, eyes widened in…some emotion.

_Surprise? Shock? Recognition? Who knows; who gives a shit, cause I sure don't. _

He stands on his _oh-so stumpy_ legs, the nails (_claws?_) on his feet (_paws?_) digging into the carpet. Crouching, he jumps into the air, landing on the foot of my bed. His mouth (_beak…thing? I don't know._) is pressed together in a fine line, almost as if he's angry. "Takuya-han, please _watch your language_! To be rude is one thing, but to me? A dear friend from the _Digital World_?"

_Rewind. Pause. What the hell did he just say?_

A loud _bang _erupts suddenly, muffling that…_thing_'s voice. Startled, I jump up, head bobbing and hands shaking like a bobble head in an earthquake. My eyes are clouded, vision blurred by exhaustion. Willing myself to open them, I find that I am…

_In school, in my math class, fallen asleep at my desk. Again._

_Shit._

"_Hello, Mr. Kanbara. Glad to see that you're back with the living._" _Shit_. Ms. Hadokin, (_or as I like to call her, super-math-bitch!_) is pissed. I mean, normally she just _doesn't like _me, but after falling asleep in class two weeks in a row…she _fucking hates _me. Seriously.

_It doesn't help that I didn't do my 'punishment' for falling asleep last week._

Her voice is icy and frigid, layered with hate and disgust and…lots of _other _synonyms (_Yeah, you see it_. _SYNONYMS!_ _I know big words!_) for _fucking pissed_, as she continues to speak. "_Tell me, Takuya, is my class boring? Be honest, you won't hurt my feelings._" Subconsciously ignoring the feeling that this will end badly, I nod. (_Attack! Attack! Attack!_)

She smirks. (_It's a trap!_) "_Okay, cool. I'm fine with that. Just like you're fine with detention, I suppose? And a zero on all 8 of those 'missed' assignments?"_ (_Low blow, Ms. H._) I stare at her dumbly, listening to the class snicker, before my brain catches up to me. I sigh, feeling like I _should _defend myself, but _know _I would lose. The bell rings. "_See you soon, Mr. Kanbara."_

**_…xxx..._**

Detention, scorn of all children, the best friend of teachers with unruly students, and it's (_apparently_) a good place to form a bond with people you didn't know. (_But I learned that from Scooby- Doo, so…don't try it?_) There's practically no one here in Ms. H's room, the sound of the clock vibrating off of the walls.

_Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick._

Ms. H steps in, her pale blond hair (_maybe white?_) tied up by a…_thing_ makes her hair look like a…_horn?_ (_I'm a guy. Don't judge me for not knowing about hair._) Her heels click as she steps on the tiles in the room, the sound echoing all around. "_Mr. Kanbara. Glad to see you're actually here for once._" She stands in front of me, bent over to the point where I can _(almost_)see her breasts (_I don't want to look. She's old. Like…40 something years old._) poking out from the black bra she's wearing under her black suit and black pants.

She stared at me, possibly wondering why the hell I was looking at her like _that_, (_even though I sure as hell wouldn't if I were paid 1 million dollars_) her eyes flicking from me to the clock. "_I see that you've finished your punishment._ _Seeing as there are only…30 minutes before you have to leave, how about you go to sleep?_"

I'm not sure if I should thank her or be disturbed, because _my teacher _would _never _let me sleep, but I decide to listen. Hey, can't be that bad to follow instructions _for once, _right?

**_...xxx..._**

I open my eyes, still feeling the after effects of a good (_or semi-comfortable_) nap. My eyes open sluggishly, taking in the pale light coming in from the windows. I hear the clock _tick tock _away. I yawn. I stretch. (_Oh. Shit._)

_My arms won't move._

I open my eyes, now widened in worry (_because I'm NOT afraid_) because I can't tell where the _fuck _I am. There's no windows like I thought before, finding that this _place _is illuminated by the moon's pale glow coming from a skylight. My arms are bound in chains. So I do the only rational thing I can think of: scream.

"_HELP_! _Somebody fucking come and fucking save me from…here_!

"_Oh, you're awake. How'd you sleep?_" A figure steps out from a shadow in the corner. She (_I know it's a she. I studied enough "female anatomy" to know boys from girls_) is wearing a black dress(_?_) that doesn't cover her left shoulder and leg. A hood covers most of her hair (_it's a silvery-gray color_) that falls past her gloved hands (_claws?_) and _almost _touches her black combat boots.

She chuckles, the sound sending a wave of discomfort down my confined spine, at my answer. ("Fucking horribly. Now, tell me where the hell I am!") "_You, Mr. Kanbara, are in your final resting place._" (Is she trying to be punny? That's my job!) "_Your punishment for falling asleep in my class _(oh shit, it's…not really surprising that Ms. Hadokin is the she-devil) _and trying to stop our plan…is death._"

Her icy voice cackles again, watching as I struggle to move free from the shackles keeping me pinned to the ground. "_Such a cute effort from such a cute boy, but it won't work out for you. I kind of feel bad for killing you, though, because we could have lots of _fun." I'm shivering again, both from fear at what might happen and the (_far far_) worse thought of what she means by "_fun._"

Her arm stretches out, touching me from five feet away, the clawed fingertips grazing my shirt. I tense up as the finger ( _nail?_) hovers over my heart, bated breath causing my heart to _bump thump _loud enough that I wonder if she can hear it.

She chuckles again as she retracts her claw, an audible sigh of relief escaping my lips when it leaves. "_You're so fun to mess with, Kanbara. Maybe I should 'play' with you some before I finish you off."(_Like hell! Just kill me!)And with that, she slinks up to me, boots stomping and echoing inside of _wherever the hell_ _we are, _and wraps her arms around me waist. Her head inches closer to mine, lips puckered in some kiss-like form.

_Get *crack* the hell *crack* away from me!_

The wall suddenly crumbles (_Thank Kami!_), the debris and dust piling into the hole. A silhouette is formed in the dust, and her eyes widen as they look away from me to the rising dust. "_Sorry, sweetie, but the cavalry has come to save you, and I can't let that happen. Maybe we can play next time." _She winks, a grin (_it's pretty scary-looking, honestly_) forming on her face as she steps back and spreads her arms.

"_Darkness Wave!"_

An army of bats set aglow by a fiery aura swarms around me. And in no time, _I'm_ _being burned alive._

_

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_

**Yola, it's Reiji. **

**How's it hanging? I know, I'm late. (By my standards, over 3 weeks is late.) Sorry. **

**Alright, now that that's out of the way...What did you think?  
****Like it? Love it? Hate it? Review it! I read 'em, reply to 'em, and get ideas for what to do next from them. (It'll only take a minute. Promise)**

**P.S. Happy Birthday.  
P.S.S. I love you!**

**P.S.S.S. (Is this real?) Who should come to save Takuya? Your pick. (I'm leaning toward Angewomon. Maybe Ophanimon .There's a history of catfights between LadyD and her, so...yeah.)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok, soldier. You had your little break. It was nice wasn't it? Got to see your family? Your wife (or husband) and kids? Remember _we don't own anything Digimon related_?**

**Don't answer that. I don't care about you and your mamby-pamby land dreams! Get to reading!**

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_Chapter 5: In Which I'm On Fire_

_I told you…don't…play with fire._

Hey. Quick question for you guys. You know how your parents have "rules" that you "_have_ to" follow? (_"Listen to your mother."-Dad_) I mean, _every _parent probably has them.(_"Keep your room clean, Takuya."-Mom._)And every child has broken them _at least once_, am I right?

_Shake your head yes. Stop lying._

I know me asking about rules doesn't _exactly _make sense at all, but I have a reason. The biggest rule in our house (_Besides the_ _"Go to college. Don't come back. Especially with a baby."-Both._) was to _never _mess with fire. Yet now, as I am chained to _something _in _someplace _being _burnt the fuck alive_, I'm breaking that rule. (_Technically_.)

First of all, fire (_if you didn't know_) is _extremely _hot. (_Like your mom/ sister/ girlfriend. Or you._) It tickles your skin like a thousand feathers, licking at you like a cat with a big bowl of milk. (_As long as no mice come around to steal it._) And it _hurts._ And not in like a '_just got poked by a needle_' hurts, but a _'Shit! I just got impaled with a sword!' _kind of way.

But I digress. The _fucking pain _I'm in doesn't really compare to the sight before my smoke clouded eyes. There's a…(_and I'm being completely serious here_) midget bird busting through the hole in the wall. He's completely white, save a pink belt around his waist. He's short and has stumps for limbs with little claws protruding out of them. He has a gray beak and beady black eyes.

_And I've seen him before._

It's the dino bird midget from my dream. His stumpy little arms reach inside his belt, pulling out a _giant ass _book. It's like…it's like he's carrying a copy of _Harry Potter _inside of his (_utility?_) mutters something as he flips through the book, pages flying at a speed I can barely comprehend.

I'm going to take the time that he's looking for whatever the hell he's looking for to ask you another question. Sorry, I'm not trying to go Jack Bauer on you or anything, but you guys seem pretty smart. (_Yes, even you, reader scratching your ass. And stop doing that shit. It's disgusting._)

Sorry. I got distracted. My question was: _How long do you think it would take to die if you were set on fire?_ Obviously I am asking the question because a) I'm on fire, but because _I've _also _been on fire for the past 5 minutes_. That's about how long it takes to burn down _buildings, _so how in the fucking world am _I_ still alive?

_I might be thick, dense, and hard-headed_ (_in the words of my mother and various ex-girlfriends_) _but I'm not fire retardant._ (_But my little brother Shinya does call me a retard quite often._)

I suppose that…the _thing _is done searching through his book, as he exclaims some strange words that I can't hear very well, (_something about 'spirit fire' and a 'crystal freeze'?_) the stubby legs he has carrying him to the stupid she-devil. He jumps, pages of the book flapping at an ungodly speed, and screams out an attack (_I guess._) in his raspy, childlike voice.

_Crystal Freeze!_

A faint, almost white, blue light shines out from the pages of the book just before it disappears. The air becomes thick with the frigid temperature of a blizzard as a bone-chilling gust embraces the room. The fire seems to diminish for a moment, oppressed by the bitter cold air, before roaring back to life with renewed vigor.

The effects of the attack have also seem to hit Mrs. Hadokin, the majority of her body frozen in place in a block of ice. The eye slits in her mask knit in pure rage, her lips screaming words so profane that _someone _would be have to be out of their right to repeat them. (_Something along the lines of an "asshole motherfuckering piece of damn ice, fuck damn it."_)

The brave little thingy is running toward me now, little legs pumping at a speed that I am willing to assume is fast for someone his size. (_Yeah, 5 miles an hour…not fast. At all_) He's yelling something about _evolving _and _breaking chains_, but none of it makes sense. His book pops into existence again, this time clutched in his hands like a bat, and he swings at my head.

A loud groan escapes my lips as the book connects. "Why the hell did you do that, you tiny bastard?" It slips before I can stop myself, the politeness I had intended to show gone because he _hit my head. _(_And it hurt._) He frowns, face mirroring that of the dream in which he starred not long ago.

"_Takuya, did you not learn to show gratitude to those who have saved your life?_" His raspy voice haunts me, echoing in my head, pushing memories long forgotten to the surface.

"_Look, Neemon, it's a human-child-kid."_

_"And I'm the keeper of my pants!"_

_"Where's the spirit?"…"Hell Fire!_

The spirit! (_Agnimon!_) This is how I can get out of this mess! All I have to do is…

_What do I have to do?_

Booker (_my nickname for this thing_) is pounding at the chains with an axe he conjured from the book, metal upon metal, the loud clangs reverberating inside of the small room. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see that Mrs. H is thawing out, drips of ice running along her horribly disgusting (_yet very sexy…don't tell anyone I said that_) form like rain water into a creek.

Cracks are appearing in the chain, each swing of the axe wearing it down more and more.

_Her arm is starting to get free._

Booker is swinging, (_digital?_) flames almost licking him as the axe is brought down once again. He opens his mouth to speak.

_The ice has melted down to her elbow._

"_Don't worry, Takuya. I'll get us out of here in no time._"

_She's struggling to move her wrist out of the ice._

"_LadyDevimon won't stand a chance against you once you've unlocked the spirit of Agnimon again."_

_Now it's her hand._

"But," I whisper, "I don't know how."

_The last of her fingers is breaking free._

He's stunned. "_You don't remember? Well, that could be a problem." _(_This is where I say "no shit, Sherlock."_) "_Well, the first time you spirit evolved, it was to protect someone. So I guess it's triggered by an emotional stimulus."_

_She's cackling. Her arm is flexing…_

He continues to ramble. "_If that is the case, then all we have to do is make you feel a strong enough emotion to trigger an evolution."_

_Contracting…_

_"But how," _he asks, _"do we do that?"_

_Stretching…toward us…_

I scream, trying to warn him. "Look out!"

_But it's too late._

The nail impales him just as he turns around, blue wisps of data streaming out of his wound. His beak (_mouth_) is open in shock, eyes opened wide in a strange mix of fear and…_acceptance?_ I think he's starting to smile, the blue wisps now pouring out of his mouth and flowing _everywhere._ The pink belt (_it's actually looks like one of those body warmer things; I think they're called haramaki or something_) is slowly beginning to dissolve.

_He's dying._

He's laughing lightly, beak curved into a sad sort of smile. "_Isn't it ironic," _he wonders, "_that I had once told you…(cough) that Digimon will not live for long in your world? Yet I (cough) chose to come here anyway?" _The spittle and wisps (_I'm guessing that they're made of data…because he's digital_) mix as he speaks and coughs. And he smiles, paw reaching up to touch my face, gently holding my chin and wiping away the tears (_They're manly tears! Of a man's grief!_). "_Listen, Takuya. Just know (cough) that you are mot to blame for this. I believe that all (cough) things happen for a reason, and meeting you…befriending you…saving you, all of it was for you to mature in the man that you have become. __Please, (cough) do me one last favor (cough) and kick her ass_." And his smile fades. And his hand falls.

_He's dead._

My head throbs, each pound resembling that of a thousand drums being hit. Memories of Booker…_of Bokomon _(_it's Booker's name_) flash before my eyes. (_Him running into me in the Digital World. Snapping the pants of some rabbit. Carrying an egg?_) The beats get louder as LadyDevimon steps near, the clicking of her boots agitating my condition even further. '_It's her fault.' _My subconscious is screaming, mourning, plotting for only one thing.

_Vengeance. _

Heat begins to pool around me as my anger grows, chains _finally _breaking under the heat. LadyDevimon stares for only a second before charging with her nails prominently displayed. (_The nails of a killer._) My hand reaches for my phone, yet I am too consumed with rage to realize that it has now changed to a black and red thing that resembles a remote control.

_My D-Tector. _

A picture comes up on the screen. (_It's Agnimon._) My hand glows, blue wisps of data swirling around like fallen leaves gently floating on a breeze, and I swipe it across the D-Tector screen. The data wisps wrap around me like a cocoon, shedding my clothes in exchange for Agnimon's armor. My hair grows to reach my waist, changing from brown to blonde. Flames pool around my fists.

_Guess who's back?_

LadyDevimon reaches me just as I step out of the cocoon, her nails barely inches from my face. I grab her wrist with speed I didn't even know I had. I smile. _Sadistically. _"Hey _bitch. _Guess who's back? _You miss me?_"

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**Yola...whoever is still reading this far. Uh...I'd say sorry and give you guys some fantastic excuse about why this is late but I don't have one (yet). So please, most honorable readers, accept my most humble apologies for this inexcusable lateness! Also, sorry about Sergeant Burke up there. He's an ass.**

**Ok, that's done. Seriously, sorry about the update. Blame Call of Duty. And my Xbox. (And to anyone who has the PS3, I'm mad you get some really cool games that I can't have.) "No fan wars on PS3 & Xbox 360 shall take place." Capice? (Is that how you spell it?) **

**I'm ranting. My bad. Read. Review. Send me a friend request on Xbox Live. ( FieryKamikaze) Review. Thanks to all reviewers, readers, subscribers, random people who click on the story...whatever. I love you. Kinda. (Question: Is it just me, or does the document on FanFiction change the number of words in your story to a ridiculous amount?)**

**P.S. Don't forget to review.**

**P.S.S. I will finally introduce the other characters in the next chapter. Or two.**


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